Oxford - The renovation is finished, complete with landscaping. The building looks rather the same as before, but with the new roof and the cleaned and replaced stone exterior, Presser Hall looks fresher. The interior, with its rehearsal halls, new studios and offices, is what has been totally changed.
And it is now ready for occupancy, and the exodus from the Center for the Performing Arts by the music education and performance segments of the Department of Music has begun.
Right on schedule, the move across Patterson Avenue to Presser Hall is under way, with the packing of offices, music libraries, instruments, and the entire music department office.
Everything will be moved over within the next three or so weeks, according to sources, all to be assimilated with new furniture being delivered during the week of May 19.
A huge process. A great deal of careful planning is inherent in the move of a department with so much equipment with which to deal. “It will be a huge process,” says percussion professor William Albin, who is coordinating the move of marimbas, xylophones, drum sets, and a myriad of African and Indian drums, along with his complete set of Balinese percussion instruments. “We have to have specific places to store all the equipment where it can be safe yet readily accessible for use in rehearsals and practice. Entire new systems of keeping track of the instruments have to be developed.”
The complete libraries of the orchestra, university concert and marching bands, the choirs and the jazz ensemble are also being relocated to Presser in a newly designed storing system. “It will take quite an effort to get everything boxed, moved, and organized,” says jazz ensemble coordinator James Olcott. The combined libraries take up the space of more than 60 filing cabinets, or more than 250 special boxes.
Instruments for the Marching Band and music education classes are also being relocated to Presser.
Amos Music Library will remain in the Center for the Performing Arts as will the music studios and offices for piano instruction and non-performance disciplines. The majority of practice rooms will remain in the CPA, while seven have been added in Presser Hall.

Renovation for the CPA. The Center for the Performing Arts will begin undergoing its own renovation this summer as the headquarters for the School of Fine Arts relocates there. The Department of Theatre will take over the spaces vacated by the music department, and the large rehearsal hall will become part of the department’s scene shop.
“All in all, it is a tremendously exciting time for the department,” says department chair Richard Green. “It will be crazy for a while, but when the dust settles, we will have a wonderful addition to our physical facilities.”